Gravity-trap for ash-pits



(No Mddel.) n".- T. HARRIS.

GRAVITY TRAP POE ASH PITS. No. 439,146. Patented Oct. 28, 1890.

Hill I rue news Virus 420.. mow-urns wAsnmm-ow n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIJAH T. HARRIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GRAVITY-TRAP FOR ASH-PITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,146,

- Application filed April 3, 1890- Serial No. 346,423.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELIJAH T. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gravity-Traps for Ash-Pits, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

In the construction of open grates or fireplaces it is common to leave an opening at the bottom through which the ashes may fall into the pit below, and it has been common heretofore to provide in such openings traps so arranged that they will be normally held closed by gravity. In order to open such a trap, it is necessary simply to press upon the same from above sufficiently to overcome the counterbalance-weight.

My invention relates to the construction of such traps; and its object is to cheapen the construction thereof and provide for readily replacing the plate, and at the same time provide for readily replacing any part as occasion may require. The frame is of cast metal, provided with bearings for the rod upon which the plate is mounted. The plate is preferably of sheet-iron, which may be stamped out to provide means of attaching the same to the rod and for holding the counterbalance-weight in place. The counterbalance-weight is preferably of cast-iron, the flanges for holding the same being formed upon the plate, so as to inclose the same on dilferent sides and at the difierent ends thereof.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrative of my trap for ash-dump. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

The frame a is a casting adapted to be set flush with the hearth immediately under the fire.

The trap or door proper consists of a plate I b, of sheet-iron,stamped out to fit the opening in the frame, This plate extends to the rear, and is provided with loops 0 a, through which the rod d is inserted. This rod (1 is provided with bearings formed in the casting, as shown. The weight 6 may be of castiron, and is provided with grooves on opposite sides thereof, and the plate I) is provided with lips or clasps f f, g, and h h,

dated October 28, 1890.

(No model.)

so formed as to hold the weight-that is to say, the lips f f rest in the groove of the weight 0 upon one side, while the lip g rests in the groove on the opposite side, and the lips h h are placed near the end of the plate and rest in the groove, and are provided each with a flange 1'. These flanges 11, coming at the ends of the weight 6, prevent the same from moving longitudinally. The stamp and die are so formed that one of the flanges i will be left in the plane of the portion h of the lip, of which it forms a part. Thus the weight may be slipped in, and afterward the flange 11 may be formed with a hammer or otherwise. As thus constructed, it is evident that the weight will serve to hold the plate under the opening in the plate a, to prevent any draft of air from the ash-pit up wardly through the opening. Pressure upon the plate, however, sufiicient to overcome the weight,will open the trap to permit the ashes to be dumped into the ash-pit below.

The loops 0 c clasp the rod firmly, so that the movement of the plate serves to turn the rod in its bearings in the frame.

Having thus described my. invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the frame a, of the plate I), provided with the loops 0 c and the lipsf f, g, and h h, the lips It being provided with flanges i i, the rod (1, provided with bearings in the frame passing through the loops 0 c, and the weight 6, provided with the grooves on opposite sides and supported by the lips ff, resting in the groove on one side, the lip g, resting in the groove on the opposite side, and the lips h h at the ends thereof, provided with the flanges i i for preventing longitudinal movement of the weight, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the frame, of the plate I), pivoted thereto and provided with lips or clasps at the rear thereof, and acounterbalance-weight provided with grooves on opposite sides thereof and held by said clasps resting in said grooves, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of March, A. D. 1890.

ELIJ AH T. HARRIS. Witnesses:

GEORGE P. BARTON, ELLA EDLER. 

